Quakers (or
Friends) are members of a group of religious
Christian movements which is known as the
Religious Society of Friends in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and parts of North America; and known as the
Friends Church in Africa, Asia, South America and parts of the US. The movements were originally, and are still predominantly based on Christianity. Members of the movements profess the
priesthood of all believers, a doctrine derived from the
First Epistle of Peter. They include those with
evangelical,
holiness,
liberal, and
traditional Quaker understandings of Christianity. To differing extents, the different movements that make up the Religious Society of Friends/Friends Church avoid
creeds and hierarchical structures. In 2007, there were approximately 359,000 adult Quakers.